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06/17/2005: "FH To Lose 2nd Ferry Slip"

Ferry Advisory Meeting in FH on Thursday

Friday Harbor will not have a second ferry slip. WSF Director Mike Anderson announced in a press release that "the ferry system cannot afford or justify the additional cost of $5-7 million that would be needed to convert the temporary slip to a permanent operating slip.

Mr., Anderson and his entourage had come to Friday Harbor to attend a Ferry Advisory Meeting, and released a statement at the meeting that listed the reasons for the decision, which, to no ones surprise, were based on budget constraints.

According to Anderson, the issues involve not only the cost of removal of the existing, and construction of the new, but also goes to the issue "that the town's current infrastructure does not support the second slip as a viable service slip.", He pointed out that because of the problems of traffic flow, it takes three times as long to unload a ferry in Friday Harbor, as it does in other terminals.

And the future outlook? In his closing statement he held out the possibility for a second slip: "We are certainly willing to revisit the need for a second slop in the future as we solve the unloading issues at this terminal.".